Control mechanism



June 4, 1940.

s. a. GRANBERG CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May 4, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 4, 1940. GRANBERG 2,203,297

CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May 4, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 4, 1940. a. R. GRANBERG aonraoz. MECHANISM Filed May 4, 19s? 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 B. R. GRANBERG 2,203,297

cburaor. mmmusu Filed May 4, 1937 s Shets-Sheet 5 Z f ww ef Patented June 4, 1940 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROL MECHANISM Bengt R. Granberg, Rockford, Ill., assignor to Sundstrand Machine Tool 00., Rockford. Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application May 4, 1937, Serial No. 140,734

Claims. (Cl. 200-4) The invention relates generally to electrical A further object of the invention is to provide control mechanism and particularly to electrical a new and improved unitary electric controller control mechanism for machine tools. which is capable of both manual and automatic A general object of the invention is to provide operation and which is'of compact and econom- 5 a new and improved control mechanism aflordical construction yet provides a plurality of ing great flexibility of control with unusual case switches actuable in a variety of ways to afand simplicity of operation. ford an unusually flexible control.

A more particular object is to provide an elec- Yet a further object is to provide a unitary trical control mechanism including a unitary controller having a first control means actuated l0 controller which governs the major portion of by oscillation thereof. a second control means the control functions of the mechanism. actuated by linear movement, and a single con- Another object is to perfect an electrical control handle for independent manual actuation trol mechanism for machine tools including a of either of the means. controller having a first control means capable Other objects and advantages will become apof both manual and automatic actuation for conparent from the following detailed description 16 trolling rate and direction of movement of an taken in connection with the accompanying element of the machine tool, and a second indedrawings, in which:

pendent control means capable of manual actua- Fig. 1 is a vertical lon ud l Se t onal View tion for controlling starting and stopping of the of a unitary controller embodying the features 2 machine tool. of the invention. 20

Yet another object is to provide an electrical Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view control mechanism for machine tools including taken in the direction of the arrows along line a unitary controller having a first control means 22 of Fi for governing rate and direction of movement of g- 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view an element of the machine tool, and a second in- Similar to g- 2 but looking in the Opposite dl- 26 dependent control means for governing starting r ction along line 3-8 of Fig. l.

and stopping of the machine tool, the second con- Fi 4 is a f ry v w p r l y in ectrol means being operable independently of the tiOn and Partially in elevation, taken DD O first control means and regardless of and without fl y along e of 30 requiring change i th position of t first Fig. 5 is a detail view of the manually actuated 30 trol mea start and stop control means taken along line Still another object is to provide an electrical 55 of Fi ccntrol mechanism for machine tools including 0 s a ho izontal Sectional view of the cona unitary controller having a first control means trol ans Shown in ta n alon line 66 governing rate and direction of movement of an of Fig. 5 a Showing he C ntrol means in its 36 element of the machine tool, a second independnormal POS Onent control means for governing starting and F s- A s a fragmentary view similar to Fi stopping of the machine tool, and a single man- 6, but showing the control means in a position ual means for actuating both controlmeans inon one side of neutral in which all of the switches 40 dependently of one another by different moveare closed. 40 ments and regardless of the position 01' either Fig. 6B is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. control means. 6, but showing the control means on anotherside A further object is to perfect an electrical conof neutral in which all of the switches are open. trol mechanism for machine tools including a Fig. '7 is a view taken along line 1-1 of Fig. 1 unitary controller having a first means capable showing the limit control means. of both manual and automatic operation govern-- Fig. 8 is ,a fragmentary horizontal sectional ing rate and direction of movement of an eleview taken along line 88 of Fig. '7 and showment o the machine 5001, a Second means for ing the control means in its normal position.

governing starting and stopping of the machine Fig. 8A is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 5 t l a Capable manual actuation independ- 8. but showing the control means in a first shiftently of the first means, and a third means ed position. adapted for automatic actuation and operable to Fig. 8B is a'fragmentary view similar to Fig. arrest the machine tool shouldthe element travel 8, but showing the switch means in a second beyond its predetermined limits. shifted position.

Fig. 9 is an end. elevational view showing the mounting of the controller handle.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view showing the details of the dog actuated follower for the controller.

Fig. 11 is a circuit diagram showing the controller connected in the control circuit of a machine tool or the like.

Though the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, it is here shown and will be described hereinafter in a preferred embodiment, but it is not intended that the invention is thereby to be limited to the specific form shown, but it is intended to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

While a control mechanism embodying the featiues of the invention may be arranged to form a variety of circuits for a variety of control purposes, it is, for purposes of disclosure, here shown and will hereinafter be described as applied to the control of a machine tool such as a milling machine, a lathe, or the like. Such a machine tool customarily has a rotatable spindle and a carriage reciprocable relative to the spindle, with the spindle or the carriage constituting either a Work support or a tool support. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the carriage is usually reciprocated through a cycle including various combinations of rapid traverse and feed movements in a forward and a return direction. The spindle and the carriage may be driven in. a variety of ways, but, for purposes of disclosure, it will be assumed that the spindle is driven directly (see Fig. 11) by a reversible electric motor SM whichv is started and stopped to start and stop the spindle and reversed to reverse the direction of rotation of the spindle. Such starting, stopping and reversal of the spindle motor is controlled in well known manner by a spindle forward contactor SFC and a spindle reverse contactor SRC interposed between the spindle motor movement of the carriage.

and line wires Ll, L2 and Lil. lermissibly there is connected in parallel with the spindle motor a coolant motor CM for driving a pump supplying coolant. This motor usually is further controlled by a switch l5 located at a control or push button panel or station. The spindle contactors are normally electrically actuated by means of a coil, and accordingly 2. spindle forward contactor coil SFCC and a spindle reverse contactor coil SRCC are here shown forming a part of a control circuit.

Similarly, the carriage may be driven by a reversible electric feed motor FM which may be started and stopped to start and stop the carriage and reversed to reverse the direction of Such a motor normally is connected to obtain a feed movement of the carriage, while a traverse movement of the carriage is obtained by the excitation of a second electric motor herein designated TM. The traverse motor TM may be connected to the drive for the carriage by means of a clutch or may be connected by means of a planetary gear system such as disclosed in a pending application Serial No. 66,463, filed February 29, 1936, jointly, by Bengt Granberg and John B. Sinderson. The feed motor and the traverse motor, which herein also is a reversible motor, are here shown connected in parallel and are primarily controlled as to starting and stopping and direction of rotation by means of a feed left contactor MC and a feed right contactor m0 interposed in well known manner between the motors and the line wires Li, L2 and L3. The traverse motor is further and independently controlled as to starting and stopping by means of a traverse contactor TC which functions to interrupt the circuit to the motor for the purpose of obtaining a feed rate of movement of the carriage and for completing the circuit to the traverse motor for obtaining a rapid traverse rate of movement of the carriage. Customarily a solenoid brake is provided for holding a portion of the planetary gearing against rotation when the traverse motor is deenergized and accordingly the energizing solenoid ll of the brake is connected in parallel with the traverse motor so as to be energized, and to be deenergized and permit the brake to be applied when the motor is deenergized. The left and right contactors for the feed and traverse motors are actuated electrically by means of a feed left contactor coil FLCC and a feed right contactor coil FRCC, respectively. The contactor TC likewise is controlled by a traverse contactor coil TCC, all connected in the control circuit.

Connected in the control circuit in addition to the actuating coils for the various contactors above described is an actuating coil MCC for a master contactor having three normally open switches MCII, MC2 and. MC3 and a normally closed switch MCl connected in various portions of the control circuit and for purposes which will be described later. The control circuit, though having additional governing means, is primarily under the control of a unitary controller having combined manual and automatic actuation and constituting the principal feature of the control mechanism. This unitary controller, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 11 and in actual construction in Figs. 1 to 10, comprises a first control means including a plurality of switches herein associated with the feed left and right contactor coils and the traverse contactor coil, thereby constituting a rate and direction control; a second control means including a plurality of switches herein associated with the master contactor coil and thereby constituting a start and stop control; and a third control means including a plurality of switches herein adapted to be automatically actuated and also associated with the master contactor coil and thereby constituting a limit control.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to 10, it will be seen that the unitary controller is so constructed that the rate and direction control, the start and stop control, and the limit control may all be housed within a small compact casing generally designated 25, having a base a top 27 and forward and rear end walls and 29, respectively, formed as a single casting. The side walls of the casing (see Figs. 2 and 3) are formed by plates 3t removably secured by bolts 31!. Preferably gaskets 32 are interposed between the plates and the casting in order to prevent, as much as possible, the entry of moisture and foreign material.

The rate and direction control herein is both manually and automatically operable and, moreover, is operable independently of the start and stop control and the limit control, and serves to condition the control circuit preparatory to initiation of operatio of the machine tool. As previously stated, the rate and direction control comprises a plurality of switches associated with the feed left and right contactor coils and the traverse contactor coil. Herein the switches are four in number, as .best seen in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 11.

each consisting of two stationary contacts and a movable contact adapted to bridge the two stationary contacts. Four stationary contacts 35, 38, and 31, 38 are mounted in spaced relation on a bar 38 of insulating material disposed longitudinally of the casing on one side thereof by being bolted to lugs 40. An additional four sta- 4 tionary contacts 35', 36' and 37', 38' are similarly tact is supported.

mounted in spaced relation on a bar 39 of insulating material disposed in a position similar to the bar 39 but on the opposite side of the casing.

A movable contact 42 adapted to cooperate with the stationary contacts 35, 36, and a movable contact 43 adapted to cooperate with the stationary contacts 35', 38, are mounted on opposite sides of a T-shaped bracket 44 pinned to an oscillatable shaft 45 extending longitudinally of the casing and journaled in the end walls of the casing in ball bearings 46. As best seen in Figs. 2 and 4, each of the movable contacts is yieldably mounted. Similarly a movable contact ll and a movable contact t8 are mounted on opposite sides of a T-shaped bracket 39 which is loosely mounted upon the shaft iii. The

contacts ii and ii are adapted to cooperate respectively with the stationary contacts 3?, Bil and 3'1, 33'. Each of the movable contacts 62, :33, ll and is yieldably mounted on its respective bracket 36 or 48. To that end a block of insulating material is secured as by bolts 55 to each side of the brackets M and 3%). Secured to each block (Fig. 4) by a rivet fat is a channel-member 52 within which a movable con- A compression spring 58 is interposed between the movable contact and the portion or" the channel member adjacent the block tending to urge the movable contact outwardly away from the block. One end of the spring 53 encircles the head of the rivet 5t, while the other end encircles a raised nub M on the back of the contact, whereby the spring is held against slipping out of place.

The bracket M has three positions, namely, a neutral position which is that shown in Fig. 2 and in which both movable contacts 32 and 63 are disengaged from the stationary contacts, and an extreme position on either side of neutral in which one or the switches is closed by engagement of a movable contact with thestationary contacts while the other switch remains open, depending upon which extreme position the bracket is swung to. If the bracket 4a is swung to the right, that is clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2, contact 52 engages and bridges contacts 35, 38 to close the switch formed thereby, while contact 33 is disengaged. If the bracket is swung to the left or counter-clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 2, contact 43 engages and bridges contacts 35, 36' to close the switch formed thereby, while the switch formed by the movable contact 32 is open. f

In order that the bracket 44 may be retained yieldably in any one of its three positions, it is formed with a depending star wheel portion 51 having an intermediate or neutral notch 58, a notch 59 to the right side of notch 58. and a notch Sll'to the left side of notch 58. Adapted to cooperate with the notches is a roller Bl carried on the end of one arm of a crank 82 pivoted on a shaft 63 extending longitudinally of the casing and journalled in a bracket 83' bolted to the base of the casing on the right side thereof. The crank 82 is swung in a direction urging the roller 6| into engagement with the notches in the star wheel portion 51 by means of a tension spring 84 secured at one end to a plug 85 fixed in the base 28 and adjustably secured at its other end to the crank 62 by means of a bolt 88.

The bracket 49 (Fig. 3) has but two positions, namely, a right position and a left position. With the bracket in its left position, as shown in Fig. 3, movable contact 41 engages and bridges contacts 81, 38, while movable contact 48 is disengaged from the contacts 31', 38. When the bracket 49 is swung to its right position, just the reverse is true with contact 48 engaging its cooperating stationary contacts and contact W disengaged from its cooperating contacts. Like bracket M, bracket 49 is formed with a depending star wheel portion ill formed with two notches ii and i2. Mounted to cooperate with the notches is a roller is carried on the end of one arm of a crank it journaled on the shaft $33 adjacent to and parallel with the crank (52. The crank M is swung in a direction to engage roller "i3 with the notches ii and H by means of a tension spring "35 secured at one end to a plug 76 fixed in the base 26 and at the other end adjustably secured to the crank by means of a bolt ll'l.

As previously stated, the bracket 66 is pinned to the shaft db, while the bracket 59 is loose upon the shaft. In order to obtain a unique movement of the brackets i l and :39 and the switches controlled thereby, which particularly adapts the controller for use with machine tools, the bracket 69 is actuated by the bracket id through a lost motion connection. This lost motion connection is of such a nature that when the bracket 36 is swung to either extreme position the bracket 19 also is swung in the same direction, but when the bracket '16 is merely returned from either "extreme position to its neutral position no movement is imparted to the bracket (19. The lost motion connection comprises a lug formed centrally of the star wheel portion 5? of the bracket i l and extending axially to project between spaced lugs iii formed at the side edges of the star wheel portion to oi the bracket as and extending axially so as to overlap the lug 3t. It will be seen, with the foregoing arrangement, that upon rotation of the bracket i l to its extreme position in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 both contact t2 and contact ill will engage their respective stationary contacts and that bracket 416i may then be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction to its neutral position thereby disengaging movable contact 32 and stationary contacts 35, 36, while contact it remains in engagement with contacts 317, 3b. Similarly upon rotation of the bracket 44 to its extreme in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, contact ll would first be disengaged and then all of the contacts 3b, 86' and 3?, 8i?! would be engaged. Upon subsequent rotation of the bracket M to its neutral position, movable contact all will be disengaged while contact it remains engaged.

Means is provided whereby the shaft may be oscillated both manually and automatically for the purpose of closing or opening the switches controlled by the brackets 44 and 49. Accordingly the shaft 45 is made to project through each end wall of the casing and at its forward end the shaft carries a handle 84 whereby it may be manually oscillated in a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction. At the end projecting through the rear wall of the casing 25 (Figs. 1 and 10) the shaft has keyed thereto an arm 85 carrying a follower 88, for dog actuation, mounted in a. lateral cylindrical extension Oil of the arm 85. The follower it is so constructed and mounted in the arm 85 that upon engagement with one type of dog it is cammed in a manner to oscillate the shaft d5, while upon engagement with a difierent type of dog it is cammed inwardly of the extension ill permitting the dog to pass without changing the position of the shaft 45. To that end the follower tit is formed as the projecting end of a hollow piston 853 rotatably and slidably mounted within the extension 81 in roller bearings lit. The piston [it is urged outwardly of the extension 877 by means of a compression spring titl which at one end abuts an annular flange 90 in the piston t8 and at the other end abuts a plunger 92 having a stem 93 extending through the flange ill and held against withdrawal by a washer @d and pin 95. The plunger t2 abuts a plate bolted to the arm 85 over the bore of the cylindrical extension 8'i. Piston 8B is held against loss through the other end or" the extension 871 by means of a radial flange 977 on the piston which abuts the roller bearings 89.

To retain the bracket 69 in its position abutting the bracket M and further to insulate the controller, there is interposed between each of the brackets and the roller bearings 16 a sleeve 98 of insulating material. A cap is secured over the aperture in each end wall of the casing 28 in which the bearings dd are mounted, and is provided with a recess for receiving an annular packing I00 and with a drilled hole till registering with an annular groove lltil formed in the shaft to keep water from creeping in.

The start and stop control means is designed to have an operation independent from the rate and direction control yet is so constructed that it may readily be incorporated in the casing 25 and may be mounted so that it may be actuated by the handle 84 through a movement of the handle separate and distinct from the movement actuating the rate and direction control. To that end the start and stop control comprises two switches formed by three stationary contacts I05, I06 and I0! (Figs. 1, 5 to 6B and i1) and a movable contact l08 in the form of a tiltable plate provided with contact points i109 positioned to cooperate with the stationary contacts. The stationary contacts are mounted in triangular relationship on a block H0 of insulating material which is secured by means of bolts Ml passing through the front wall 28 of the casing and threaded into the block Mil. The block is spaced from the end wall of the casing by spools M2 of. insulating material and a plate iii-3 of insulating material which, with the block Mt, form a frame for the switch means. The movable contact plate I08 has the contact points its disposed in a triangular relationship to cooperate with the triangularly disposed contacts on the block H0 and is mounted for relative movement with respect to the block on two pins Mt projecting from-the block in a vertical plane and passing through apertures M5 in the plate nos. These apertures are large enough to permit tilting of the plate with respect to the block flit as well as sliding movement relative to the block. The plate is urged toward engagement with the contacts on the block i to by two coil springs M6, each encircling'one of the pins and resting at its ends in flanged washers Ml]. One of the washers abuts the plate H08, while the other washer is retained on the pin lit by a cotter pin H8.

aaoaaov Means is provided herein for normally retaining the plate 803 in its neutral position shown in Fig. 6, in which the plate is in engagement with two of the stationary contacts to close one of the switches, but is disengaged from the other stationary contact to open one of the switches and for shifting the plate to one side of neutral, as shown in Fig. 6A, in which it engages all of the contacts, or to the opposite side of neutral, as shown in Fig. 6B, in which it is disengaged from all of the contacts. To that end, the end wall 28 of the casing 25 is formed with a tubular extension l2i'l vertically below the shaft 45 having a bore i2l in which is slidable a plunger 1122. This plunger has two portions 023 and I24 of successively reduced diameter and a still further reduced and threaded end portion i25 which carries a head wt of insulating material, further secured by means of a pin m. The portion N24 is surrounded by a sleeve lid of insulating material and passes freely through a large aperture [1291 in the plate its and also through an aperture H50 in the plate M3. Slidably mounted in the inner end of the bore I121] is a sleeve man which in turn receives slidably within it the portion [I25 of the plunger H22 and the insulating sleeve Md. The sleeve H30 is formed with diametrically opposed slots 032 for the reception of the ends of a pin nae carried by the plunger i 22. Inter-posed between the sleeve Eli-ll and the shoulder formed by the reduced portion are of the plunger is a compression spring HM whose strength is greater 1 than the combined strength of the springs H6.

The sleeve [31! is retained against movement outwardly of the bore 124 under the influence of the spring I34 by the plate l H, while the plunger H2 is restrained from outward movement beyond the point at which the pin E33 engages the ends of the slots l32 because the spring is then acting merely on the equivalent of two shoulders on the plunger. With this arrangement, it will be seen that the plunger I22 normally assumes the position shown in Fig. 6 in which position the head I26 engages the plate H08 and tilts the same so as to disengage the plate from the contact I01, but permits the plate to remain in engagement with the contacts I05 and I06. The plate may be moved to engage all the contacts and thereby close both switches by moving the plunger I22 inwardly against the action of the spring I34, and may be moved to disengage all of the contacts by moving the plunger, the sleeve I3| and the plate I08 bodily outwardly against the action of the springs I Hi.

In order that the single control handle 84 may be employed to actuate both the rate and direction control as well as the start and stop control in all positions of the handle and by independent and distinct movements, the tubular extension H0 is formed with a wide slot I35 and the plunger B22 is formed with a groove 036 which is disposed centrally-of the slot l35 when the plunger is in its neutral or intermediate position. The handle 84, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 9. is formed with a segment l3'i, projecting into the groove 036 of the plunger I22, and an oblong aperture l3l' for receiving the projecting end of the shaft 45 which preferably is flattened. The handle is pivotally mounted on the shaft for. movement in a plane longitudinal of the controller by a pin I38. With this mounting of the handle 84 and the construction of the start and stop control, it' is apparent that the handle has a movemerit for the actuation of the rate and direction control which is independent and distinct from its movement for the stop and start control. Furthermore it is apparent that the start and stop control may be actuated directly and immediately regardless of the position of the handle 84 in its actuation of the rate and direction control, for the segment !31 is wide enough to engage the plunger in all positions of the handle. To close all of the switches of the start and stop control, the handle 84 is pulled forwardly, while to open all the switches the handle 84 is pushed rearwardly.

Housed within the casing at the opposite end from the start and stop control but in the same relative position is the limit control (see Figs. 1, '7 to 8B and 11). Like the start and stop control, the limit control comprises two switches formed by three stationary contacts MG, MI and M2 and a movable contact M3 in the form of a shiftable and tiltable plate The stationary contacts are again mounted in triangular relationship on a'block i i of insulating material which is secured by bolts M5 to the rear end wall 2% of the casing. The movable contact plate M3 is again mounted for movement relative to the block M l on a pair or pins M5 secured in a vertical plane in the block Mil and projecting through apertures M7 in the plate N13. The plate is urged toward engagement with the stationary contacts by means of compression springs M8 mounted as described in connection with the start and stop control. To insulate the heads of the pins MS from the casing, a sheet Mil of insulating material is interposed between the block Md and the wall of the casing.

The plate M3 has three positions, with its normal position that shown in Fig. 8, in which it is in engagement with all of the stationary contacts. The first position of the plate away from normal is that shown in Fig. 8A in which the plate has been tilted so as to be disengaged from the stationary contact hit, but remains in engagement with contacts Mi and M2. The third position of the plate M3 is that shown in Fig. 8B in which it is bodily shifted out of engagement with all of the stationary contacts.

Whereas the start and stop control was actuated only manually, the limit control is intended to be actuated only automatically. To that end the rear end wailBQ of the casing is formed with a tubular extension i5? in which is reciprocable a plunger i553 carrying a cam follower in the form of a roller ibd at its outer end. At its inner end the plunger has a reduced portion which is threaded into a head N5 of insulating material which is further secured on the plunger by means of a pin 5%. The head ibt', which is normally disposed partly in an aperture l5i in the block M l, upon inward movement of the plunger W3 engages the plate M3 to move it to its successive positions. The plunger W3 is urged outwardly of the tubular extension it? by means of a compression spring H58 which encircles a reduced portion of the plunger and at one end abuts a shoulder I59 formed on the plunger by the reduced portion, and at the other end abuts a shoulder is!) formed by an inwardly projecting flange in the tubular extension I52.

It is believed apparent from the foregoing that I have perfected a controller of unique construction and one which in a compact unit embodies a large number of switches adapted for operation independently or jointly in a variety of ways so that the controller may be adapted for a variety of circuits and provide extreme flexibility of control. As previously stated, the controller is particularly well adapted for use in a control circuit for machine tools, and a novel control circuit for that purpose including my controller will now be described.

Such a control circuit, as previously stated, includes the spindle forward and reverse contactor coils; the feed right and left contactor coils, the traverse contactor coil, and a master contactor coil, and it is by the energization or deenergization of these coils that the various contactors are closed or opened to produce the desired operation of the motors. The control circuit as connected herein functions to permit starting of the carriage either to the right or to the left and at either feed or traverse speed, such selection of rateand direction of movement being determined, as previously stated, by the swinging of the handle a l to the right or the left, respectively. Accordingly. the contacts 374' and 3? are connected by branch leads i165 and M5 to a common lead it? which is connected to one stationary terminal Hit) of a normally closed push button switch tilt, the other stationary terminai '9' of which is connected to the line wire Li.

W4 and branch leadsto the lead Iifil behind the switch M02, while contacts 3% and co are con= nected by a common lead Hi3 and branch leads to one end of the traverse contactor coil EGG, the other end of which is connected to the line wire L3.

It will be seen that the switch including the movable contact 62 and the switch including the movable contact Q3 are connected in parallel so that closure of either switch will energize the traverse contactor coil. The switch including movable contact 3?! and the switch including movable contact iii, however, control respectively the feed right and the feed left contactor coils. Thus by swinging the handle 86 to the extreme right or left either the switch including contact M will be closed and the switch including contact 18 will be open, or vice versa, so as to complete a circuit to either the feed right or the feed left contactor coil and thereby determine the direction of rotation of the feed motor as well as of the traverse motor. retained in its extreme position to the right or the left, a circuit is also completed to the traverse contactor coil, thereby closing the contact TC to cause the traverse motor to operate and drive the carriage at a rapid traverse rate. However, should the handle Wi be returned to neutral after being swung to the extreme either to the right or left, the switches controlling the traverse contactor coil will be open while the switch controlling the 'feed contactor coil will remain closed and thereby cause the feed motor only to operate for driving the carriage at a feed rate.

The switches of the start and stop control in conjunction with the switches of the limit con trol exercise control over the master contactor coil MQC. Accordingly, contact I05 is connected by a lead I18 to the terminal I89 of the push button switch I10. Contact I08, which is con- If the handle 86 is nected to the contact W by the movable contact 888, when in its neutral position, is connected by a lead it? to stationary contact Mil of the limit control, the lead ill]. moreover having interposed therein switch M023 of the master contactor. Contact Gill of the start and stop control, which normally is out of engagement with the movable contact tilt, is connected by a lead H8 with the contact [182 of the limit control. The remaining contact Mi oi the limit control is connected by a lead H779 to one end of the master contactor coil which has its other end connected to the line wire L3. it will be remembered that the movable contact 003 oi the limit control in its normal position is in en gagement with all of the stationary contacts ltd, ill and M2.

The portion of the control circuit governing the spindle motor is so arranged that the spindle is rotated whenever the carriage is driven at a. feed rate regardless of the direction of movement, but is not rotated during a traverse rate of movement of the carriage. tor means is provided whereby the spindle may be caused to rotate in a forward direction regardless of the direction of carriage movement,.

in a reverse direction regardless of the direction of carriage movement, or in a forward or reverse direction depending upon the directioh of, carriage movement. The spindle may also be rotated independently of the operation of the feed and traverse motors. Accordingly, one end of each the spindle forward contact coil SFCC and the spindle reverse contactor coil SRCC are connected through a common lead [1863 to the line wire L3. Interposed in the lead iilfii is a normally closed switch T04 which is a part of the traverse contactor TO. The other end of the spindle forward contactor coil is connected by a lead IM and thence through three branch circuits I82, I83 and I8 to the lead Mill. The first of these, namely I 82, includes a push button switch I85 which is normally open and which may be manually closed to complete a circuit cludes a stationary terminal M33 and blade I8! of a spindle selector switch. The third branch circuit I84 includes in series relationship a terminal I84 of blade i88 of the spindle selector switch and a switch FLCJ constituting a. part of the feed left contactor FLC. The circuits N33 and I84 are connected to the lead. it'll intermediate the switches MM and M02 of the master contactor, whereas the circuit i822 is connected between the push button switch tilt and the first switch MCI.

The remaining end of the spindle reverse contactor coil SRCC is connected by a lead 998 to a contact I9i adapted to be engaged by the blade I88 and includes in series relationship a switch FRC4 forming a part of the feed right contactor. Switches FLCI and FRCQ are normally open and are closed when the feed contactor with which they are associated is closed. Thus it will be seen that with blade i8ll swung to complete circuit I83 and with the blade i188 open, the spindle will always be rotated in a forward direction regardless of the direction of table mov carriage movement.

Moreover, selecaaoaacv ment. With the blade it? swung to close on contact i841, and with blade H88 swung to close on contact 080, the spindle will be rotated in-a forward Zo-r reverse direction depending upon which of the switches M106 and FRC i is closed, this in turn depending upon the direction of With only blade I188 closed on contact iilil, the spindle will be rotated in the reverse direction regardless of the direction of carriage movement.

Connected in each line wire Li and L8 is a fuse I198 and also connected in series relationship in the line wire Li are two normally closed switches 0% controlled by the overload relays OLR connected in the leads to the spindle motor and the feed and traverse motor so that the entire operation of the machine will be arrested should either overload relay be actuated.

The operation of the control mechanism with the unitary controller connected as described is briefly as follows: The attendant would first adjust the blades Mill and M8 to obtain the desired operation of the spindle as previously described. If it be assumed that it is desirable to have the spindle rotate in a direction depending upon the direction of movement of the carriage, blade Hill would be swung to close upon contact (18 1' and blade H89 would be swung to close upon contact Hill]. The attendant is now ready to initiate operation of the machine and this is done simply by manipulation of the single control handle 861. At the will of the attendant the machine may be started with carriage movement either to the right or to the left, and at either feed or traverse speed. customarily the carriage is started at a traverse rate to bring the work up to the tool and, if it be assumed that the carriage is to be started toward the right and at a traverse rate, the handle 84 is swung to the right to its extreme position. This would establish the circuit to the feed rig-ht contactor coil FRCC through stationary contacts 3'5, 38 and movable gentact ll? and would likewise establish a circuit to the traverse contactor coil TCC through stationary contacts 35, 36 and the movable contact 42. No energization-of the coils takes place, however, because the normally open switches MC! and M02 of the master contactor are still open.

To effect closure of the switches MCI and M02 and thereby initiate operation of the machine, the attendant pulls back on the handle 84, thereby moving the plunger 822 inwardly to permit movable contact I08 to close upon contact I81. This would complete a starting circuit from line wire Li through lead I18, contacts H35, H08 and I01,

lead M8 to contact 2 of the limit control, thence through movable contact 3, contact I 4i and lead I19 to the master contactor coil. Energize,- tion of the'master contactor coil MCC results in the actuation of the contactor with the resultant closure of the normally open switches MCI, M02 and M03 and the opening of the normally closed switch MCI. Closure of the switch M03 results in the completion of a holding circuit for the master contactor coil through the contacts I05,

M8 and I06, lead ill to the contact 0 of the limit control, thence'through contacts 3 and.

ill and the lead i179. Handle 84 may now be released. Closure of the switches MCI and MC2 completes the previously conditioned circuits to the traverse contactor coil and to the feed right contactor coil, thereby effecting initiation of operation of the feed and traverse motors. With the traverse contactor coil energized, the switch tactor coil.

continue to travel to the right at a feed rate and Y T04 of the traverse contactor is opened thus preventing the operation of the spindle during traverse movement of the carriage.

To obtain a feed movement toward the right, the handle 84 may be returned to its neutral position manually, or the shaft of the controller may be rocked to neutral position by engagement of a suitable dog on the carriage with the follower 86. Due to the lost motion between the brackets 44 and 49, this would break the circuit through contacts 35, 36, thereby dcenergizing the traverse contactor coil but would not interrupt the circuit to the feed right con- As a result, the carriage would the switch TC4 would close, thereby completing a circuit through the spindle reverse contactor because the switch FRC4 has been closed by closure of the feed right contactor. By the provision of suitable dogs on the carriage positioned to engage the follower 86 the rate and direction control could be oscillated to drive the carriage through various cycles of feed and traverse in both a right and a left direction. For stopping the carriage, a dog would be provided on the carriage adapted at a predetermined time to engage the follower I54 and shift the plunger I53 to shift the movable contact I43 to its first position away from normal. In this position the movable contact I43 is disengaged from the contact I40, thereby interrupting the holding circuit including lead I11 and stopping the carriage, but contacts MI and I42 are still bridged so that the starting circuit may still be completed, through the contact Thus, by actuation of the handle 84 permitting contact I08 to engage contact IN, the machine may again be started. If it is started in the correct direction by the attendant, the follower I54 would be permitted to return to its normal position, thereby reestablishing the holding circuit I11 and permitting the handle 84 to be released. However, should the attendant accidentally start the machine in the wrong direction so that the carriage would travel beyond its normal path, a. second dog would engage the follower I54 and shift the contact I 43 to its second position away from normal, thereby opening all the switches of the limit control. Under those circumstances, closure of the switches of the start and stop control would be ineffective and the machine could not again be operated until the attendant first manually returned the carriage to its normal path. e

To stop the machine at any time, the attendan simply pushes forward on the handle 84, thereby shifting plunger I22 to disengage contact I08 from all of the stationary contacts of the start and stop control.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have perfected a novel control mechanism which is unusually flexible in control and simple in operation. This mechanism, moreover, includes a unitary controller which contains in a very compact yet simple construction a large number of Y switches which are variously operable so that the controller may be incorporated in a variety of circuits and provide a variety of controls. The controller is particularly well adapted for use with machine tools in that it has rate and direction control which is both automatically and manually operable, a start and stop control which is only manually operable, and a limit control which is only cu tically operable. The entire manual contro under a single handle, yet

I01 and lead I18.

the movements of the handle for each control are independent from the movements for the other control and may be made at any time without affecting the other control or without requiring the controller to be shifted through a plurality of positions.

I claim as my invention:

1. A controller for an electrical control circuit comprising, in combination, a casing,- a first pair of switches, oscillatable means for actuating said switches including a rotatably mounted shaft having one end projecting outwardly of the casing, a second pair of switches disposed within the casing, a reciprocable actuating means for said switches having a portion extending outwardly of the casing adjacent the outward projection of the shaft, a single control handle fixed on the projecting end of the shaft against rotation relative thereto for actuating the first pair' of switches by movement of the handle in a plane transverse to the shaft, said handle having a neutral and an extreme position on either side of neutral in the plane transverse to the shaft, means for yieldably retaining said handle in any one of its three positions, said handle being pivotally' mounted on the end of the shaft for movement in a plane through the shaft and engaging said reciprocable actuating means for actuating the second pair of switches, said handle having in its pivotal movement a neutral position corresponding with the neutral position in its transverse plane of movement and an extreme position on either side of neutral in a plane through the shaft, the reciprocable actuating means including means tending to return said handle to its neutral position in a plane through the shaft.

2. A controller for an electrical control circuit comprising, in combination, an elongated casing, a plurality of contacts st'ationarily mounted within the casing along each side thereof, a shaft extending longitudinally of the casing and Journaled therein for oscillatory movement, a first bracket fixed on said shaft to oscillate therewith, a contact carried on each side of said: bracket for cooperation with pairs of stationary contacts on the corresponding side of the housing, said bracket having three positions including a neutral position in which the contacts on the brackets are both disengaged from the stationary contacts, and an extreme position on either side of neutral in which one of the contacts on .the bracket engages and connects together a pair of fixed contacts while the other contact on the bracket is disengaged from the other pairof fixed contacts, means for oscillating said shaft, detent means for determining the bracket positions, a second bracket looselymounted on said shaft and carrying a contact on each side for cooperation'with pairs of stationary contacts on the corresponding side of the casing, said second bracket having only two positions, in each of which the contact on one side of the bracket engages and connects together a pair of stationary contacts on the same side of the casing while the other. contact is disengaged from the other pair of stationary contacts, detent means for yieldably holding said second bracket in either of said two positions, and a lost motion connection from the shaft to said second bracket operable to cause the second bracket to be swung to one position or the other when the first brackat is swung to a corresponding extreme position but permitting swinging of the first bracket to neutral position without actuating the second bracket. r

3. A controller for an electrical control circuit comprising, in combination, a first and a second set of stationary contacts, a first and a second movable contact respectively cooperable with said first and second sets of stationary contacts alternatively to connect the contacts of one set or the other together, means for supporting said movable contacts having a neutral position in which both movable contacts are disengaged from the respective stationary contacts, a first extreme position on one side of neutral in which the first movable contact engages the first set of stationary contacts and in which the second movable contact is disengaged from the second set of stationary contacts, and a second extreme position on the other side of neutral in which the second movable contact engages and the first movable contact is disengaged, and a third and a fourth set of stationary contacts, a third and a fourth movable contact, a second member supporting said third and fourth movable contacts for cooperation respectively with the third and fourth sets of stationary contacts alternatively to connect the contacts of one set or the other together, said second member having two positions, in each of which one movable contact cooperates with its stationary contacts while the other movable contact is disengaged from its stationary contacts, and a lost motion connection between said members rendering the first member operable to shift the second memher when the first is moved to either extreme position but permitting movement of the first member to neutralposition without shifting the second member.

4. A unitary controller for an electrical circuit comprising a casing, a plurality of sets of stationary contacts mounted within the casing along each side thereof, a shaft extending longitudi-' nally of said casing between the contacts and rotatably mounted in said casing, a first bracket fixed on said shaft carrying a contact on each side thereof, said bracket havinga neutral and an extreme position on either side of neutral and operable to engage one of its contacts with a set of stationary contacts on the correspond ing side while its other contact is disengaged and vice versa as the bracket is swung t\ one or the other extreme position and operable to support its contacts free from engagement when in neutral position, a second bracket loosely mounted on said shaft and carrying on each side a contact, said bracket having two positions in each of which one of its contacts engages a cooperating set of stationary contacts while the other one of its contacts is disengaged, a lost motion connection between, said brackets, a switch device mounted at one end of the casing below said shaft, a plunger for actuating said switch device projecting through the end wall of the casing, and a single handle mounted on one end of said shaft and fixed thereon against rotation relative thereto for oscillating the shaft and pivoted thereon for movement in the plane of the shaft and extending into engagement with said plunger for shifting the plunger to actuate said switch device.

5. In a controller for a control circuit, electrical switch means comprising a frame carrying a plurality of stationary contacts, a movable contact mounted for movement relative to the stationary contacts, spring means urging said movable contact toward engagement with all of the stationary contacts, and actuating means for said movable contact comprising a plunger extending into the frame and loosely through said movable contact and having a head on the end thereof for engagement with the movable contact on the side thereof facing the stationary contacts, a sleeve loosely encircling said plunger exteriorly of the frame and disposed to be limited in its inward movement by abutment with the frame, means on the plunger adapted to cooperate with the sleeve for limiting outward movement of the plunger, and a compression spring interposed between said sleeve and a shoulder formed on the plunger outwardly of the sleeve, said spring being stronger than the spring means urging .said movable contact toward engagement with the fixed contacts and said sleeve being proportioned so that when the plunger is unrestrained the compression spring shifts the plunger to a position causing the movable contact to be moved to a neutral position in which it is in engagement with only a portion of the stationary contacts, said spring being compressible to permit inward movement oithe plunger freeing the movable contact to engage all of the stationary contacts, and said plunger and sleeve being jointly shiftable to disengage the movable contact from all of the stationary contacts.

BENGT R. GRANBERG. 

